Emily Stowell Scholarship

Established to honor Amity’s co-founder, Emily Stowell, the Emily Stowell Memorial Scholarship is given annually to an Exchange Intern who has been nominated by his or her school for outstanding performance in sharing culture and language to the school and broader community.

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Proud Moment: Four Interns Awarded 2017 Emily Stowell Scholarship

Amity Institute is pleased to award four exemplary interns with the 2017 Emily Stowell Scholarship. Each intern displayed commendable character, tremendous dedication, and a continuous effort to go the extra mile both inside and outside of the classroom. This year’s winners are Judit Camino Santamarta of Hatch Elementary School, Julian Miguez Rojas of McDonald International School, Maria Rodriguez Toquero of Gage Elementary School, and Marta Arrufat Perez of Puesta del Sol Elementary.

Judit (from Vallalodid, Spain) was referred to by her host family as a “stellar human, who gives so much to those around her, encourages kindness and teaches acceptance, all with joy and passion.” In the classroom, Judit always engaged her students and happily took on leadership roles to develop to develop language resources and educate students about Spanish culture. Judit also had a large impact in her host community, taking on volunteer opportunities such as coaching 3rd grade girls is basketball for the winter months. Hatch’s School Coordinator, Stephanie Izzarelli, described Judit as “an exceptional educator who shows promise to be an effective teacher in the future,” while also maintaining her “kind nature, good humor and high standards.” As Amy Risk, the President of the Spanish Immersion Parent Association confidently asserted, Judit will continue to be an “asset and a success wherever she ends up teaching!”

Julian (from Ibague, Colombia) immediately “jumped right in with enthusiasm” upon his arrival to the United States. Julian’s host family shared that he continuously was “an ambassador for Colombia and Latin American culture, taking every opportunity to share his culture with the community.” He also enjoyed exploring the United States and its culture, showing boundless curiously about America and its people.” McDonald International’s Assistant Principal, Rachel Roosma, shared how Julian went above and beyond to help his community by “translating documents for the teachers he worked with, supporting the PTA and families within the community, and even translating documents for the Hunger Intervention Program.” The third grade students at McDonald also shared their support for Julian, and will miss him greatly as an “intern, soccer referee, and great teacher.”

From the moment she appeared at Gage Elementary, Maria (from Madrid, Spain) became an integral part of the school’s community. Maria not only lead Spanish week at Gage’s campus, but also spent most of her free time assisting at every school and PTA event. Gage’s Principal, Kathy Burns, praised Maria’s teaching skills, stating that since she began teaching, the “students at Gage demonstrated a marked interest in improving their Spanish sills.” Maria’s first host mother, Karen Quiros, wrote that there were “many tears by our family when Maria moved to her next host family placement.” However, their special bond remains strong, and the Quiros family is traveling to Spain to stay with Maria this summer. It is obvious that Maria will continue to remain a beloved member of the Gage community long after her internship.

Throughout her internship at Puesta del Sol Elementary. Marta (from Barcelona, Spain) continued to prove her personal motto, “teaching is my passion.” When nominated for the Emily Stowell Scholarship, Marta not only received glowing recommendations from her families and Puesta del Sol’s educators, but she also received multiple recommendations from her kindergarten students, written in Spanish. Jessica Torres, a kindergarten teacher at Puesta del Sol, touched upon Marta’s impact in the school community, stating that “Marta brought meaningful cultural lessons and experiences into the classroom ensuring that every student felt valued and successful.” Each of her hosts also emphasized Marta’s kindness and consideration and her consistent willingness to lend an extra hand. One host, Caroline Smith, described that Marta always “put her full effort into her work and continued improvement, whether it be towards mastering English or teaching cultural dances to her students.” She concluded, “We all know that Marta be successful as a teacher, and we look forward to seeing her grow as we watch from afar.”

We are certain that each of these interns will continue to make a large difference throughout their personal and professional endeavors. Congratulations and best wishes to these well-deserved winners.

Amity Institute is pleased to announce two exemplary winners of the 2016 Emily Stowell Scholarship Award. Denis Gonzalez Pacheco, of El Salvador, and Dolly (Chi-Jung) Chuang of Taiwan, were both chosen to receive the prestigious honor due to their outstanding dedication and service as Amity Interns. Denis and Dolly each left a unique and long-lasting […]